Steam hydraulic system



Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITE STATES PATENT .FFIiCE.

WILLIAM H. RIDGW'AY, OF COATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. RIDGWAY AND ELLIS B. BIDGWAY, BO'I'I I OF COATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.

Application filed June l, 1923. Serial No. (4 2,800.

My invention relates to pressure actuated apparatus, having particular relation to hydraulic elevators.

'In its broadest aspect, an important oh- 5 ject of my invention is to provide apparatus of the class described, having highly desirable operating characteristics, wherein a pressure actuated liquid column having suitable control means is operatively associated l with the movable element of pressure operated apparatus.

, A more specific object of my invention is to provide in combination with an overflowpipe for a pressure actuated liquidcolunm, a specially designed valve operable to close the overflow-pipe only when pressure is applied to the said liquid column, thereby providing for the removal of surplus liquid from the liquid column so long as no pressure is applied thereto.

With these and other objects and applications in mind, my invention further consi ts in the details of construction and operations and arrangementhereinafter set forth and claimed and'illustra-ted inthe accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partially in section, of apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the valve construction shown in Fig. 1 for controlling the operation of the overflow-pipe; and I Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2.

In the illustrated form of embodiment of my invention shown in'the drawing, I provide a vertically positioned pressure cylinder '1 having a liquid column 2contained therein comprising superposed layers and 4 of water and oil, respectively the quantity of the oil and water beingsuch that when the liquid column 2 is at its maximum height, anair space 5 remains between the upper surface of the layer of oil and the upper end portion of the pressure cylinder 1.'

Steam may be suppliedto the air space 5 to exert a pressure on the liquid column by means .01" a Pipe 6 e t ed ng'i pm the air Spa e .5" e te m uPp r'piP' h u sh a central a lre ,8 whit is. tio ed 011 ide .of'tlie 'plfess 6y if h p pe .6; name i for preventing the steam from directlyimpinging upon the surface of the oil to decrease the losses by condensation. Inasmuch as'steam is considerably lightly than'air, the steam which is admitted to the air space 5 rises to the top thereof leaving an insulating stratum of air between the upper surface of the oil'and the stratum of steam, whereby the tendency for contact between the oil and the with an additional design,- are positioned in operative relation" tethe upper and'to the lower end portions of the pressure cylinder 1, whereby'the uptive'ly, may be determined.

.per levels of the oil and the water, respec- An overflow-pipe 14 comprises a horizontally extending portion 15 opening into the base portion of the pressure tank 1 containing' the stratum of water 3, a vertically extending portion 16 and a horizontally extending portion 17 positioned at the desired upper level of the liquid column 2. A check valve 18, shown in detail in Fig. 2 and here inafter more fully described, serves to close the overflow-pipe 141- only' when steam is admitted to the air space 5, thereby provide i ing during the periods of inoperation a leakage path, serving to limit the upper level of the liquid column 2. Such water as'condenses on the upper surface of the body of oil a may be removed by means of a horizontal extension 19 of the pipe 17 which opens into the portion of the air space 5 just above the maximum upper level of the body of oil l. A control valve 21 of any well-known design may be included in the pipe extension 19. The horizontally extending portion '15 of the overflow-pipe 14 may 1$! be" wa er es b tf be rennet; t W 1; l me" e pi ,1 heirs}.

by means of a pipe 24 with a cylinder 25 or pressure operated apparatus 26 comprising in addition a piston 27 movable in said cylinder when steam is supplied to said air space 5. A connecting rod 28 may operatively associate the piston 27 with elevator apparatus (not show'n).' A control valve 29 is,

- included in the connnunicatingpipe 24 and it is adapted, in one position to provide for the passage of the liquid medium constituting the liquid column 2 from the pressure cylinder Ito the cylinder 25 of the pressure actuated apparatus 26 and'in its opposite position to provide for the return of the liquid medium, preventing, however, at all times, any back-flow in either of its operative positions. Inasmuch as'a valve having the characteristics just defined is of standard construction, a detailed description thereof has been omitted. In some cases, it'may be desirable to interconnect the actuating elements of the control valves 8 and 29, respectively, by common adjusting means 31 to effect the simultaneous operation of the same, the control valve 29 being opened to provide forthe passage of the liquid medium therethrough from'the cylinder 1 to the pressure apparatus 26 simultaneous with the opening of the valve 8 to admit steam to the air space 5.

. Referring more especially to the valve construction 18, which isshown in longitudinal section in Fig; 2, a valve casing 32 is provided having a main passageway 33 terminating in inlet and outlet openings 34 and 35, respectively, and intersected by a trans- '1' versely extending partition 36 having a horizontally extending portion 37 provided with'a threaded perforation 38. An annular "member 39 is secured in threaded engagement with the threaded perforation 38 and beveled at the lower edge thereof to form a valve seat 41 for a cooperating valve disk 42 having depending wing portions 43 slidably engaging the walls of a pocket 44 formed in a hollow cap member 45 which is secured in threadedv engagement with the portion of the valve casing 32 directly beneath the valve seat 41.

Force may be exerted on the movable valve element to resiliently maintain the valve disk 42 in spaced relation to the valve seat 41 by meansof a coiled spring 46 having its lower end embracing an integralextension 47 of the valve disk 42 and its upper end 5 embracing an adjustable screw. element 48 secured 1n threaded engagementwlth'a per foration 49 in the valve teasing 32. The

' upper portion-of the screw element48 'may extend fro'rnthe valve casing 32 through a stufling-box construction 51 of usual design, which is carried by'the valve casing 32.

.Inoperation, the force of the spring-'46 is suchflthat the valve dish-42 is actuated in e g ement with th valve Seat 41 to close the valve passageway 33 only when a fluid medium, under such pressure as obtains when steam is admitted to the air space 5, is forced through the valve inlet opening 34. The valve construction just defined, therefore, provides for the continuous passage of the liquid medium therethrough when it is actuated by a pressure less than the force of the spring46, as obtains during normal overflow conditions.

A check valve 52, of usual construction, may be operatively associated by means of a communicating pipe 53 with a perforation 54 in the valve casing 32 terminating in the portion of the main passageway 33' immediately adjacent to the outlet opening 35thereof, whereby such vacuum as is formed there'- in during the normal operation of the valve may be relieved. V

In the operation of my invention, when the valve actuating means 31 is moved downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, steam is admitted to the air space 5 simultaneous with the opening of the communicating pipe 24 to provide for a movement of the liquid medium therethrough from the cylinder 1. The action of the steam is to exert a pre ssure on the liquid column 2 which is trans .mi tted to the piston 27 of the presssure operated apparatus 26 causing a downward the liquid column 2 is removed'simultaneous with the actuation of the valve 29 to the other of its operative positions providing for the return of the liquid medium from the pressure-actuated apparatus 26 to the cylinder 1. Simultaneous with the removal of the pressure on the liquid column 2, the spring '46 actuatesthe valve disk 42, out'of engagement with the valve seat 41, opening the valve 18 and thereby rendering the over flowpipe 14 effective, as shown in Fig. 2. The level of the liquid column 2 in the cylin-- der 1 continues to rise until it has reached its maximum upper level, as determined by the position of the horizontally extending portion 17 of the over-flow pipe 1 4.

While I have shown only one embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating its principles of construction and of operation, it'israpparent that. various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon, as are in an airspace'at the upper end of said cylin-- dicated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In combination, a vertically positioned cylinder adapted to have superposed layers of water and oil leaving a space between the upper surface of the oil and the upper end of the cylinder, an overflow-pipe extending from the portion of said tank containing said water upwardly to the desired level of the upper surface of said oil, a valve controlled pipe containing a fiuid'medium under pressure opening into said space, and

a spring loaded check .valve positioned in tus and the base portion of said cylinder,

means for supplying a fluid medium under pressure to, said air space'to force said liquid medium through said pipe'to said pressure operated apparatus, and an adjustable check valve positioned in the horizontal portion of said overflow-pipe operable to close the same only when said fluid medium is admitted to said air space.

3. In combination, a vertically positioned cylinder adapted to contain a liquid medium leaving an air space at theitop portion of the cylinder, an overflow-pipe extending upwardly from the base portion of said cylinder to the desired upper level of said liquid medium and" then horizontally, a valve-controlled pipe associating the portion of said air space just above the upper level of said liquid medium and the horizontally extending portion of said overflow-pipe, means for supplying a pressure medium to said air space, and a check valve positioned in said overflow-pipe operable to close the same only when said pressure medium is admitted to said air space. V

4. A cylinder'adapted to contain superposed layers of water and oil but leaving der, an overflow-pipe extending upwardly from the'portion of said cylinder containing said ater to the desired maximum upper level of said layer of oil and then horizontally, a second pipe extending from said air space to the horizontal portion'of said overflow-pipe so as to provide a. drain for the upper surfaceof said oil, and achec'k valve disposed in the horizontal portion of said overflow-pipe operable to close the same under predetermined conditions. 1

- In combination, a vertically positioned cylinder adapted to contain a liquidmedium leaving an air space at the upper end of the cylinder, an overflow-pipe extending up wardly from the lower end portion of said cylinder to the desired'upper level of said liquid medium and then horizontally, a

valve-controlled pipe associating the portion of said air space just above the upper level of said liquid medium and the horizontally extending portion or" said overflow-pipa'an additional valve-controlled outlet pipe extending'from the lower portion of said overflow-pipe, means for supplying afluid and a check valve positioned in the horizontal portion of said overflow-pipe oper- "medium. under pressure to said air space,v

able to close the same only when said fluid medium is admitted to.v said air space;

6. A cylinder adapted to contain a liquid medlum, leaving anair space at the top of the cylinder, an overflow-pipe extending upifl wardly from the base portion of said cylin v der to the desired upper level'of said liquid medium, and-a second pipe extending from said cylinder to said overflow-pipe so as to provide a drain for the upper surface of said liquid medium.

7. A cylinder adapted to contain a liquid medium but leaving an air space at the upper end of said cylinder, an overflow-pipe extending upwardly from a lower portion of said cylinder to the desired upper levelof c said liquid medium, a second overflow-pipe extending from said air chamber to said first-mentioned pipe, and means operable upon a supply of fluid under pressure to said air space to close at least one 8. A cylinder adapted to contain a liquid medium leaving an air space at the upper end of said cylinder, an overflow-pip'e'extending from the lower portion of said cylinder upwardly to the desired upper level of said liquid medium, meansconstituting a drain for the upper surface of said liquid medium operatively associated with said overflowpipe so as to have a common outlet therewith, and means operable upon a sudden application of pressure to said liquid medium to close said outlet.

of said over 7 WILLIAM H. RIDGWAYQ 

